Internal developments, II.
For a more materialist powers in the galaxy, Galactic Empire showed surprisingly high level of scientific development than they would expect from religious people the Humans were considered. After all, first new building on every colony was a Cathedral, around which a new city was built only later. Humans also used their holy texts and quotes made by Saints from Old Earth very often, even during most mundane tasks of merchants. The militarist side of Human society had yet to be seen. Indeed, before the war with the Sirgogg Horde, Humans were considered as isolationist, assertive but not aggressive species. It was also this legacy of disciplined, warlike states on Earth, why the Empire could focus on development and technological progress better than any other spiritualist powers. Planetary Cathedrals were themselves same impressive as much as practical structures, combined with massive underground shelters, own shield generators and used more as cultural centers than purely religious temples. Scions of Earth clearly never lost their beliefs, while prepared for anything unholy which may appear in front of them. The small portion of the Galaxy discovered by now, already showed enough that God favours only those prepared to face any evil.
As a further step towards most efficient stellar meritocracy the Kaiser founded, all parts of Humanity had to find their best to let them serve in best of their abilities. School tests were designed to scour every settlement to find every open mind able to learn, while less promising children ended up in military camps or simple civilian jobs. Competitions were strongly encouraged in every possible area of sport or education. There had to be no time or any other resources spent for failures within the population. The Galactic Empire had to remain a place where the best and brightest people rule and others serve, not because they must, but because they know it's the best option.
By that time, the brightest minds of imperial science achieved many accomplishments within the Human space. Professor Heinrich Grasser received the first Kaiser Wilhelm Society Award since the colony ship left Earth. His daring experiment, based mostly on astonishing prediction of unknown variables, almost instantly terraformed Barren world into perfectly habitable candidate for colony. Too warm for Human comfort, but habitable nonetheless.
Unique surface of Zeta Arae IIa allowed it's transformation, which, sadly, couldn't be replicated.
Later, Professor Grasser fully admitted, that it could result in failure or even planetary destruction. Just like he managed to stabilize the conditions of planetary surface and it's atmosphere, the percentage of failure was high. But personally, he deemed these risks simply irrelevant, if there is miniscule chance that Empire and it's people will receive new world to live on. In that way, Grasser was model imperial scientist: using risk evaluations and all the resources available, limited only by his personal judgment.
The planet was valuable addition to the list of habitable planets within the Human space especially for the fact, that it was far away from any threats of raiders or pirates, deeply within isolated group of star systems, protected by newly founded 2nd Fleet, with base in important Preussen system, containing three stars and Wormhole.
This achievement, no matter how much impressive, must be still considered ordinary compared to some others. Ever since the colonists from Chrysanthemum left the Solar system through spatial rift considered to be a 'wormhole', half of Human scientists became obsessed with similar phenomenons. Anomalies tinkering with space, time and matter were found quite often. Not just in the middle of nowhere, deep in the space but sometimes right on the planetary surfaces, like in the case of Hannover colony.
Without Human interference, the portal would have collapsed sooner or later, with the geological signs on the planet, that such portals opened in the past.
When the commander of Research Division 5, Generaloberst Prof. Manfred von Walderode contacted Kaiser Friedrich, nothing seemed amiss: of course the supreme commander of imperial military wanted regular reports about research projects. This case, however, was extraordinarily different. Von Walderode informed Kaiser first about succesful contact with 'portal aliens'. That it's clearly a stable gateway to another dimension, as long as it's monitored and stabilized through electromagnetic wave generators. That multiple experiments proved it's two-way nature and so travel should be theoretically possible too. After he was questioned by his sovereign what's wrong with it, then, the scientist nervously answered, that His Imperial Majesty should see it for himself.
Nothing could have prepared the Kaiser to meet his mirror counterpart: while they both agreed, that contact between their universes should be strictly limited and not a public knowledge, and each Kaiser should focus on his own universe, they both couldn't help it and exchanged quite a few dialogues afterwards. Mirror-kaiser explained, that horrendous war with the creature of the Warp forced him to make a much more difficult calls already and rules more as an absolute monarch judged only by God. Majority of alien realms bowed to the Human rule only because he did let Warp to consume few of them, before rest surrendered their fleets, peoples and all raw materials to his hands.
It was this Kaiser's personal experience, which explains why further experiments with such powers beyond Human comprehension were limited in different, but perhaps related cases. Who knows what may happen, if the Empire will blindly pursue every knowledge without care for consequences. Like Dr. Hermann Schneider's own haunting experience with something hidden within absolute darkness of Black hole.
The Black holes themselves were considered a worthwhile targets of many scientific endeavours, due to confirmed existence of Dark Matter or gravitonic particles or to study the process of decay of the stars. Later, multiple facilities were constructed with single purpose to study their immense depths of knowledge and dangers. And now, something entirely else was presumably found within, emitting simple, yet terrifying messages.
After being informed about the findings, Kaiser Friedrich just asked the chief scientist of the expedition, what his guts tell him about this. After a minute of silence, Dr. Schneider had to answer, that he's worried about anything which may be the source of messages. Clearly not anything good in nature and not good in any sense of the word. He didn't mention a nightmares he and his crew experienced during last days, but his distress and immensely tired eyes were noticed by the Kaiser's own inquisitive eyes of old hunter.
Compared to these dimensional incursions and uneasy decisions bordering supernatural, exhausting work of exobiologists at the time could be easily overlooked. And yet, to promote achievements of imperial science and galactic conquest, there was no better way than show samples of alien life captured, tamed and exhibited for everyone in Berlin and elsewhere. Museums and Zoos not only furthered pursuits of exobiology, but provided ideological and religious support for imperial dogmas.
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The zulcor swarms left it's home planet full of interesting rock-like structures, a products of their anorganic diet and breeding grounds.
Comfortable on every frozen or snowy surface, domesticated furry Uddlorans quickly found their way to Human homes. After a century, escaped Uddlorans gone wild became a usual sight in Berliner mountains as well.
The hunt for Tassargoid, an apex predator from jungles of 21 Eta Cygni I proved as the deadliest one. Without a single professional hunter in it's crew at the time, it had to be done by scientists protected by naval officers of Reichsflotte, who clearly did their best, under circumstances.
Despite all the difficulties and tragedies, a first truly intergalactic Museum of Exobiology was a huge success, soon visited not only by citizens of the Empire, but also by alien diplomats, merchants and various envoys, who had nothing like that at home, which in return showed the Humans how much they mastered space so far.